FLORIDA 10-28-19

FLORIDA EDITION

HOW TO THROW A CLIENT APPRECIATION EVENT NO ONE WILL FORGET

HOW TO BUILD A TEAM

THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

7 REASONS WHY

YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS

FEATURED AGENT

EILEEN BLOCKER COVER STORY

CHRISTY MORGAN

FLORIDA EDITION

E. Vernon Horne is proud to congratulate

CHRISTY MORGAN 7

17

CHRISTY MORGAN

EILEEN BLOCKER

on being featured for the State of Florida in Top Agent Magazine!

CONTENTS

4) HOW TO BUILD A TEAM 18) 8 TIPS ON USING THAT WILL WIN BIG| geopointsurvey.com NO DISRUPTIVE THINKING TO (813) 248-8888 MATTER ITS SIZE IMPROVE INNOVATION www.

213 Hobbs Street, Tampa, FL 33619

14) 7 REASONS WHY YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS

22) HOW TO THROW A CLIENT APPRECIATION EVENT NO ONE WILL FORGET

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Top Agent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Published in the U.S.

2

Top Agent Magazine

http://www.adlatlconcert.org Top Agent Magazine

3

How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

4

So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

Top Agent Magazine

Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

Top Agent Magazine

5

help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

6

Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

CHRISTY MORGAN

Top Agent Magazine

7

Self-motivated, determined and a true people person, Top Agent Christy Morgan serves the Tampa Bay area with a team that includes herself, an assistant, and four agents.

CHRISTY MORGAN Self-motivated, determined and a true people person, Christy Morgan has made great strides as a real estate agent in the Tampa Bay area. Born and raised in Tampa Bay she got her start in the business a little more than 10 years ago after leaving a successful career in the financial industry. It was the sale of her own home that sparked the interest to become an agent. “My Realtor went on vacation, and I had to show my home while she was gone. While doing that, I thought, ‘I can do this, I love this!’

I really enjoyed it,” she explains. “I loved seeing the excitement in a potential buyer 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

and wanted to be able to be a part of that journey with others”. Soon afterwards, she earned her license and hit the ground running. Today she has grown to a team that includes herself, a Transaction Coordinator, and four agents. Christy states “our team brings together a collection of skilled professionals to better serve The Tampa Bay Area.” The vast majority of their business consists of repeat clients and referrals, a testament to their superior service.

Christy finds that perhaps one of the most important things one can do is follow up Top Agent Magazine

after the transaction. “Staying in contact with our clients after the sale, matters just as much as during the buying/ selling process,” she says. And doing so is very easy, mostly because Christy sees her clients as family.

Top Agent Magazine

“That’s a big part of my team’s motto: treating clients like family as both a guiding principle and a way of life. Our primary focus is people, relationships and trust! That’s really what keeps our referral business at the top.”

Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

Sarah Hart

Client satisfaction is of the most paramount importance to her team. Christy and her team make it a priority to stay in touch with clients on their anniversaries, birthdays and holidays. “We make surprise visits and drop off pop-by gifts to say hello and that we are thinking of you. We also do a Thanksgiving pie giveaway, and every Christmas we do something special. This year we’re hosting a photoshoot for our clients and their families.”

When it comes to marketing, Christy goes above and beyond, marketing not just on the MLS but also on Zillow, Realtor.com, Facebook, lnstagram, and more. They’re also always thinking of new ways to get the Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

Lorena Rabago

most eyes on their listings. She and her team also have a strong presence on social media, which has helped them become well-known in the area.

After the transaction, clients love to leave glowing reviews about their time together.

One buyer recently said, “She did a thorough job showing us the homes in our price range.

Was always available when we needed her and did everything in her power to assure, we got the home we wanted in the Valrico area. I have recommended Christy to friends and family and they have all had great experiences as well. We are so happy in our new home and owe the opportunity of finding this gem to her!Thanks Christy! “ Top Agent Magazine

Britta Horne

Another client that Christy recently represented on both the sale of their home and purchase of a new home said, “HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If you’re looking for a realtor that truly understands the housing market and hustles from start to finish in your buying and selling process, you MUST reach out to Christy. We have now sold 1 home and purchased 2 with her utmost support and guidance and I would never turn anywhere else. Her interest and expertise glows and it is obvious how passionate she is about her job. Any problem we have ever come across she knows exactly where to turn and what to do next. She won’t let anything stop you or your family from finding your dream home. Thanks to her we found Top Agent Magazine

Lindsey Meredith

ours, twice :) (we outgrew the first one).

Her feelings aren’t hurt when you turn a viewing away and you don’t ever feel pressured to make a decision during any part of the process. Buying or selling? You already have your first step out of the way- finding your agent!!”

Christy and her team also take pride in being part of their community as well, with volunteer and donation ties to Metropolitan Ministries of Tampa Bay, Fit 5 Program with the Special Olympics and other local charities.

As Christy and her team continue to grow, she strives to remain humble and continue to align with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

Florida Properties Group Company’s core values: Teamwork, Integrity, Passion and Excellence. A strong team aligned with a vision will move mountains and will turn the vision into a reality.

Christy firmly believes her entire team is key to their success and states, “I am not only the leader of the team but am a member of the team and Teamwork is the greatest achievement and ultimate champion”.

For more information about Christy Morgan, please call 813-545-7094 or email Christy@ChristyMorganTeam.net

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

Top Agent Magazine

E. Vernon Horne is proud to congratulate

CHRISTY MORGAN

on being featured for the State of Florida in Top Agent Magazine!

(813) 248-8888 | geopointsurvey.com www.

213 Hobbs Street, Tampa, FL 33619 Top Agent Magazine

13

7 Reasons Why Your Prospects Aren’t Turning Into Clients Real estate experts suggest prospecting daily so that your sales pipeline never runs dry.

But sometimes all that effort doesn’t translate into results. If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

14

1. You’re Too Slow The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States alone. Of course, not all these individuals are working in the same markets. Nonetheless, that

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

means that realtors face a lot of competition. If you are slow to respond to messages from prospective clients, someone else is sure to beat you to it. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to return calls and emails within 24 hours.

If you’re too busy working with active clients to return the phone calls and emails of prospective clients, consider hiring a real estate assistant who can help take administrative or marketing tasks off your plate.

2. They Don’t Trust You There are different reasons why a client might not trust you, some of which overlap with others on this list. When a client asks you a question, do you answer it directly or do you sidestep it?

Do you have testimonials and reviews from happy clients publicly available? Do you have an online presence? Social proof of your skills and knowledge is key.

3. You Don’t Seem Knowledgeable Enough Is your client constantly coming to you with new listings or marketing ideas rather than the Top Agent Magazine

other way around? Do they mention real estate and finance terms you’ve never heard of or ask you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself? Every agent starts somewhere, but if this seems to be a pattern, it’s one clients will pick up on too.

Your clients want to know that you will add value to their home buying or selling experience, and part of that value is your expertise and passion.

4. You Have No Web Presence It’s not enough to be on Zillow or have a Facebook page. There are clients who don’t use these platforms, and at the end of the day, you don’t own the content or your access to it. Both platforms could suddenly go out of business and any following you’ve gained could be lost.

It doesn’t cost much to create and maintain a website today. If customization matters little to you, sometimes you can even get up and running for free. At the very least, it’s a good idea to invest in a domain name because yourwebsite. wordpress.com looks a lot less professional than yourwebsite.com.

Top Agent Magazine ®

15

5. You Don’t Seem to Care When clients don’t think you care, it usually means they don’t feel like you are listening.

You may have systems, processes, and a proven marketing strategy. You may like to get right down to business, but to your client, this isn’t just business—it’s their life and their family’s livelihood.

When your client tells you what’s important to them, they want to make sure that you really hear them. Make sure your body language conveys that. Slow down. Shut your office door.

Make eye contact, nod your head, and pause before you speak so that they understand that you’ve put thought into your words—that they aren’t simply lines from a script.

6. You Use Too Much Jargon Remember that your clients don’t speak real estate. At most, they might buy or sell a home once every few years. They hired you to be their advocate and may even expect you to be a bit of a teacher too. Use layman’s terms so that your

16

client fully understands how the two of you will work together.

7. Your Target Audience Is Everyone Your clients are home buyers and sellers, yes, but who is your ideal client? Some specialties you might consider are college students and recent graduates, working professionals, military families, seniors, CEOs, or other high-profile clients.

As a newer agent, your target audience might be anyone who will hire you, but over time, you might find that you click more with certain clients, that their lifestyle is similar to yours, or that their goals align with your mission. Whatever the reason, marketing your business to this “ideal client” rather than every potential client will make selling your services easier.

Remember: It’s within your power to alleviate your client’s concerns, but understanding why your prospects aren’t turning into clients is a good start.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

EILEEN BLOCKER With nearly four decades of experience and industry knowledge, Top Agent Eileen Blocker – Broker/Owner of Magnolia Properties in Jacksonville, Florida – is able to provide her clients with the very best real estate advocacy available in the Sunshine State. When speaking with Eileen, one can’t help but note her enthusiasm and passion for the real estate industry, the incredible reservoir of knowledge she has accumulated over the years, not to mention her warm, welcoming personality.

Eileen began her real estate career in the early 1980’s, when her husband was diagnosed with a severe illness, requiring her to find employment to support her family.

“I was worried about being able to financially support my two sons,” she recalls, “and that was the catalyst for my becoming an agent.” Not only did Eileen succeed at this new endeavor, she has clearly flourished. Currently, her independent company Magnolia Properties employs 140 highly professional agents who share Eileen’s client-first business ethos, and who service a wide swath of territory stretching all the way from Hillier to St. Augustine.

Eileen’s success can be measured by the fact that the entirety of her personal business is comprised of returning clients and referrals, a significant achievement in the highly competitive real estate industry. “I think my clients can tell that I’m sincere about doing a good job for them,” says Eileen, when asked to account for the impressive levels of trust and loyalty she has inspired for decades. “I will do a good job for them regardless of the size of the commission check. I stay focused on my customers’ needs and wants and desires, and on helping them achieve their goals. That’s the way the money comes in.” Eileen is also a conscientious boss, and her concern for the agents who work for her equals that shown to her clients. “Each one of them is as important to me as anyone else, regardless Top Agent Magazine

of whether they’re a million-dollar producer or a ten million-dollar producer.”

There are many factors to consider when assessing the reasons behind Eileen’s continuing success story.

Expert negotiating skills help her sellers achieve top dollar for their home, and help her buyers save as much money as possible. Eileen’s thorough and comprehensive approach to marketing ensures that every listing is shown in its best light and exposed to as many potential buyers as possible.

When she’s not working, Eileen enjoys nothing more than spending time with her family, and she cherishes the moments she gets to be with her grandchildren. She is also a dedicated philanthropist, and she and Magnolia Properties provide support to charitable organizations, including her pet project Angel Works, which provides year-round assistance to families with sick or handicapped children.

“I can’t really see myself ever quitting,” says Eileen, when asked about her future plans. “I love that I have a career where I can form lifelong friendships with both my clients and my agents. I’m here for them, and they’re here for me. We’re like a family.”

For more about Eileen Blocker, please call 904-465-3951 or email Eileen@MagnoliaProperties.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 17

8 Tips on Using Disruptive Thinking to Improve Innovation You might be wondering what disruptive thinking is. How can anything disruptive be good? Well, if you’re caught in a stagnant place, shaking things up might be exactly what you need to gain some momentum in your personal or professional life.

the norms that keep you from being creative and implementing big ideas. Here are some simple things you can do to find opportunities that might be hidden if you stay stuck in the status quo.

Sometimes taking a step out of your bubble will give you a much needed perspective and allow you to achieve the breakthrough you need to take things to the next level. There is no more valuable commodity in today’s business world than innovative thinking, and the key to innovative thinking is breaking down

1. TAKE RISKS

18

Without risks, there usually won’t be any major rewards. Sure being steady and careful might keep things going marginally well, but if you really want to go big, you need to go all in sometimes. If you go through the history of great innovations, none of them

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

were achieved by playing it safe. Embrace mistakes. Learn from them, they often provide valuable insight and that will lead to great success on your next attempt.

2. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INDUSTRY This might seem counter-intuitive, but you’d be amazed at what you can learn by looking into successful companies, no matter what the business type is. You’re almost certain to find valuable solutions, systems or technology, that might fit your business, giving you a unique advantage over the competition.

3.BE CURIOUS Break some of your daily habits, even if it’s as simple as ordering a new dish at your favorite restaurant. Even the smallest changes can help spark a new idea. Always be on the lookout for new ways to do things. Little innovation are all around you. If you remain curious and keep an open mind, you’ll be surprised as to what might spark the next great idea.

4. PICK THE BRAIN OF A NON-EXPERT Yes, there is a lot to be gained by having access to someone with an expertise in your field, but you can learn a lot from a newcomer as well. They are a blank slate, and may inspire you with their completely unique point of view on things as someone just starting out.

5. BE LESS JUDGMENTAL It’s very easy to dismiss a new idea. You have experience and that can oftentimes lead Top Agent Magazine

to a million reasons why something won’t work. But there really is no harm in ignoring your initial impulse and thinking it though a bit more. If you or someone you work with has passion for an idea, it’s definitely worth pursuing.

6. CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE We tend to look at things in a linear way.

If you feel like you’ve stalled out on something, literally flip the script. Re-imagine it from different perspectives, reverse engineer the process. Anything you can do to see it from all angles, might get the creative juices flowing again, and could even lead to a breakthrough.

7. VALUE CHAOS Yes, it’s great to be organized and have a plan, but sometimes a little randomness can be that added ingredient that makes it all work. One of the major keys to successful disruptive thinking is breaking up everyday patterns. Sometimes the path to rational solution is filled with chaotic moments.

8. BE WILLING TO LET GO Don’t be rigid. Even the best ideas can always be refined and improved. You’ve invested a lot of time in your idea and it can be hard not to cling to it, but input from other people will only strengthen what you want to do.

Having big ideas is great, but you also need to be pragmatic. Recognize changes you might need to make to get your big idea implemented. Disruptive thinking is all about flexibility.

Top Agent Magazine

19

Laughs!

20

Top Agent Magazine

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

21

How to Throw a Client Appreciation Event No One Will Forget Clients are the foundation of any flourishing enterprise, and this is particularly true in real estate—an industry where relationships are central. Demonstrating your gratitude to former and current clientele is a winning way to cultivate your network, while upping your potential referrals and creating face-to-face time with the individuals that make your business tick. Keep in mind a few of the tips below as you stage a client event that will positively impact your brand, while conveying your appreciation to those who have driven your business all year.

22

Supersize Your Guest List Inviting former clients to your client appreciation bash is only the first step in crafting your guest list. To really expand your sphere of influence, invite neighbors, local business owners and staff, old friends, family, associates, fellow alumni from your alma mater, and the like. Think of your client appreciation event as a celebration of business bringing people together. Expand your guest list and you’ll create a coveted, in-person opportunity to forge relationships and broaden your reach.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

An appreciation event may be geared toward your clients, but if done correctly it can also provide a fun-filled venue for your employees to enjoy a morale boost.

Consider A Sponsor Client appreciation events shouldn’t skimp on the details, but you don’t want to break the bank, either. To defray the cost of a client appreciation event, consider enlisting local businesses as co-sponsors. Not only does this approach ease the price tag of throwing a party, but it also creates an easy partnership between you and other entrepreneurs—widening your database and making for a memorable and generous event.

ship, or the Super Bowl is coming up quick, tailoring client appreciation events to already-established happenings can create an organic tie-in and boost your attendance numbers in the process. Throw a gingerbread house decorating party during the holiday season, or throw a barbeque during the Fourth of July. Capitalizing on a naturally occurring theme creates the opportunity for comradery between you and your guests.

Apply A Personal Touch

Don’t Forget To Reward Your Employees An appreciation event may be geared toward your clients, but if done correctly it can also provide a fun-filled venue for your employees to enjoy a morale boost, as well.

By encouraging your employees to cut loose at this celebratory event—instead of having them run interference all night—your team will feel appreciated and validated, too.

Theme Your Event Whether the area’s high school sports team has made it to the state championTop Agent Magazine

Invitations may seem like a small detail, but they shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Consider handwriting some of your invitations for the clients you remember well, or for business associates who you regularly partner with. Personalizing invitations to key players is the surest way to a confirmed RSVP. Cultivating your network of professional connections is an essential part of driving business, and client appreciation events not only create memories between you and your clientele, but also inspire your to step back, reflect, and give thanks to those who keep your business booming.

Top Agent Magazine

23

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

24

Top Agent Magazine